Built-in refrigerator with increased internal volume

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a refrigerator to be built into surrounding cabinetry having a body having a cavity for food preservation, at least two thin side panels, a thin top panel, and at least one thin front panel. The side panels, top panel, and front panel have a finish that matches the surrounding cabinetry and are removably mounted to the body, thereby maintaining the original volume and structural stiffness of the refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerating appliance and morespecifically to a refrigerator that is built into a cabinet of akitchen.

2. Description of the Related Art

It is well known in the art of refrigerating appliances, such asrefrigerators and freezers, that there is a consumer benefit to havingbuilt-in refrigerators that are installed to match surroundingcabinetry. In this situation, the refrigerator is installed much like apiece of furniture, as an integral part of the kitchen or other room.However, a disadvantage of built-in refrigerators and freezers is thereduced volume of the food conservation cavities, since such volume isnot only decreased by the thickness of the insulation walls of therefrigerator body, but also by the thickness of the cabinet walls inwhich the built-in refrigerator has to be installed in order to matchthe cabinets. The width of a typical built-in refrigerator body is atleast 50 mm narrower than a free-standing refrigerator having the samefootprint on the floor. Thus, a significant amount of internal space islost for a built-in refrigerator or freezer. As a result, it would bedesirable to improve the construction of built-in refrigerators byproviding them with an increased cavity volume.

One prior art example of increasing the volume of the refrigerator bodyis to increase its height. However, this creates a problem with theinaccessibility of food products placed on the upper shelves of thecavity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a built-inrefrigerator having an increased internal volume in comparison withtypical built-in refrigerators.

One embodiment of the invention is a refrigerator to be built intosurrounding cabinetry having a body having a cavity for foodpreservation, at least two thin side panels, a thin top panel, and atleast one thin front panel. The side panels, top panel, and front panelhave a finish that matches the surrounding cabinetry and are removablymounted to the body, thereby maintaining the original volume andstructural stiffness of the refrigerator.

The side panels may have vertical rod-shaped mounting elements adaptedto be installed between the side panels and the body, thereby allowingthe side panels to have a reduced thickness. The mounting elements maybe provided on the side panels to substantially align with each verticalcorner of the body. The side panels may have one front mounting elementplaced in a corresponding recess of the body and one rear mountingelement placed on a rear wall of the body. The side panels may directlycontact the body.

The front panel may be hingedly connected to a rod-shaped mountingelement provided between the side panels and the body. The side panelsmay be fixed to the body via screws. The side walls may be adapted to besupported directly by the floor.

The refrigerator may further include a tray-shaped compartment fixed tothe bottom of the body and adapted to contain a compressor, condenser,and fan.

A second embodiment of the invention is a refrigerator to be built intosurrounding cabinetry having a cabinet defined by a top wall, rear wall,bottom wall, and side walls, wherein the bottom wall has a cut-outdefining a support edge, and a body adapted to slide into the cabinetand having a cavity for food preservation. The body is supported byadjustable legs on the support edge.

The refrigerator may include a compartment provided below the bottomwall of the cabinet. The compartment may be fixed to a bottom of thebody. The compartment may be adapted to contain functional components ofthe refrigerator, including a compressor, condenser, and fan. Thelocation of the functional components allows for an increase in internalvolume of the cavity.

The refrigerator may further include a louver and a structural crossbarmounted to the front of the cabinet over the compartment to allowventilation for the functional components.

The cabinet may have a finish that matches the surrounding cabinetry.

Another embodiment of the invention is a built-in refrigerator having abody having a cavity for food preservation, at least two side panels, atop panel, at least one front panel, and a compartment fixed to thebottom of the body and adapted to contain a compressor, condenser, andfan. The side panels, top panel, and front panel have a finish thatmatches surrounding cabinetry and are removably mounted to the body,thereby maintaining the original volume and structural stiffness of therefrigerator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and the embodiments thereof will be explained in thefollowing detailed description, with reference to the drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a refrigerator according to afirst embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator in FIG. 1, in which thedoor and the bottom grill have been removed;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section of the refrigerator in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a cabinet for a refrigeratoraccording to a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side cross section of a second embodiment of therefrigerator, showing components installed in the cabinet of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With initial reference to FIGS. 1-3, a first embodiment of the presentinvention is shown. As illustrated, the internal volume of therefrigerator is increased by combining thin panels that aestheticallymatch the kitchen cabinets with the original cabinet body. Thus, theoriginal internal volume and structural stiffness is maintained whilestill providing the built-in feature through the thin panels. Accordingto this embodiment, the kitchen cabinet is only a “virtual” one. Asshown in FIG. 1, two vertical thin side panels 10 have two mountingpillars—one on the front side, indicated with reference 12, and theother on the back side, indicated with reference 14. In addition to sidepanels 10, a top panel 16 completes the cabinet or “column”. The sidepanels 10 and the top panel 16 may be directly fixed on the lateralwalls of the refrigerator body 11 by screws 18 that are flush with thesurface of the refrigerator body. Alternatively, other fasteningmechanisms, such as glue, may be used. The screws 18 may be insertedthrough the pillars 12 and 14, and the heads thereof are hidden in aknown manner. For instance, the heads may be concealed by one or moreplugs. When installed, the top panel 16 lies on top of the lateralpanels 10. Doors 20 are hingedly connected to the front pillars 12. Thefinish of the visible sides of the panels 10, front pillars 12, and thedoors 20 is the same of the rest of the cabinetry.

The body 11 of the refrigerator may have two bottom extensions 22 thatreplace the “legs” of the traditional cabinet or column. The extensions22 may rest directly on the floor. A ventilation grid may be attached tothe front of the extensions 22 for ventilation of the sealed system.

Each of the front vertical corners of the refrigerator cabinet have arecess 26 to accommodate the front pillars 12. As shown in FIG. 3, theback pillars 14 lay on the back side of the back vertical corners 28 ofthe refrigerator body 11. Thus, each thin panel 10 may be in directcontact with the vertical surfaces of the refrigerator body 11 when thethin panels 10 are installed. Due to this configuration, the width ofthe refrigerator cabinet increases more than 50 mm, which results in anincrease in the internal volume of the cabinet. More specifically, theincrease in volume for a built-in refrigerator with a height ofapproximately 1750 mm is around 40 litres.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a second embodiment of the invention isshown. In this embodiment, the cabinet, as far as the thickness of theside panels is concerned, is similar to the typical cabinets used forbuilt-in refrigerators. Typically, the refrigerator body of a built-indomestic refrigerating appliance has the same structure andconfiguration as that of a free standing refrigerator. In thisconfiguration, the condensing unit may be on the back of therefrigerator body and the compressor may be provided in a space underthe refrigerator cavity. Furthermore, the compressor may be supported bya mounting plate located at the same level of the bottom side of thecabinet. The built-in refrigerator body may be mounted in a base plateof the surrounding cabinetry. Since the base plate of the cabinetry isusually approximately 160 to 300 mm from the floor, there may be adecrease in the internal volume of the built-in refrigerator incomparison with a free standing refrigerator of the same height,assuming that the two cabinets have the same width and depth.

According to the second embodiment of the invention, a base plate isprovided near the bottom of the cabinet 100. The base plate may have acut-out 102 that occupies most of its surface. The cut-out 102 defines agenerally U-shaped edge 106 on which the refrigerator body 11 issupported by adjustable legs or levellers 108. The refrigerator body 11is adapted to slide into the cabinet 100 and may be fixed in the sameway of a traditional built-in refrigerator. The dimension of the cut-outmay be slightly greater than the dimensions of a tray-shaped bottomcompartment 104, as shown in FIG. 5, provided in the bottom of therefrigerator body 11. The size of the compartment may be slightly lessthan the footprint of the refrigerator body. For example, for arefrigerator body footprint of 540×540 mm, the compartment 104 may bearound 450×500 mm with a height of around 160 mm. The compartmentcontains the functional components of the refrigerator, such as acondenser 110, a compressor 112 and a cooling fan 114. A louver 115 maybe mounted on the front of the cabinet 100 to allow ventilation for thecondenser and compressor. Moreover a structural crossbar 116 is mountedon the cabinet 100 in order to secure the front sides of the cabinet andto provide structural stiffness.

According to this second embodiment of the invention, the cavity of therefrigerator is at least 50 mm deeper than in the usual configurationfor a built-in refrigerator. For example, for a refrigerator having ofheight of approximately 1.8 m, the internal volume increases by about35-40 litres. Since the compressor 112 is installed in the same cavitywith the condenser 110, it is possible to eliminate the additional spacerequired for the compressor 112 that typically protrudes inside therefrigerator body. This accounts for an internal volume increase ofabout 10 litres.

While the present invention has been described with reference to theabove described embodiments, those of skill in the art will recognizethat changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

1. A refrigerator to be built into surrounding cabinetry, comprising: abody having a cavity for food preservation; at least two thin sidepanels; a thin top panel; and at least one thin front panel, wherein theside panels, top panel, and front panel have a finish that matches thesurrounding cabinetry and are removably mounted to the body, therebymaintaining the original volume and structural stiffness of therefrigerator.
 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the side panelshave vertical rod-shaped mounting elements adapted to be installedbetween the side panels and the body, thereby allowing the side panelsto have a reduced thickness.
 3. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein themounting elements are provided on the side panels to substantially alignwith each vertical corner of the body.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 3,wherein the side panels have one front mounting element placed in acorresponding recess of the body and one rear mounting element placed ona rear wall of the body.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 4, wherein theside panels directly contact the body.
 6. The refrigerator of claim 1,wherein the front panel is hingedly connected to a rod-shaped mountingelement provided between the side panels and the body.
 7. Therefrigerator of claim 2, wherein the side panels are fixed to the bodyvia screws.
 8. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the body comprisesside walls adapted to be supported directly by the floor.
 9. Therefrigerator of claim 1, further comprising a tray-shaped compartmentfixed to the bottom of the body and adapted to contain a compressor,condenser, and fan.
 10. A refrigerator to be built into surroundingcabinetry, comprising: a cabinet defined by a top wall, rear wall,bottom wall, and side walls, wherein the bottom wall has a cut-outdefining a support edge; and a body adapted to slide into the cabinetand having a cavity for food preservation, wherein the body is supportedby adjustable legs on the support edge.
 11. The refrigerator of claim10, further comprising a compartment provided below the bottom wall ofthe cabinet.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the compartmentis fixed to a bottom of the body.
 13. The refrigerator of claim 11,wherein the compartment is adapted to contain functional components ofthe refrigerator.
 14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein thefunctional components include a compressor, condenser, and fan.
 15. Therefrigerator of claim 13, further comprising a louver mounted to thefront of the cabinet over the compartment to provide ventilation for thefunctional components.
 16. The refrigerator of claim 15, furthercomprising a structural crossbar mounted to the cabinet.
 17. Therefrigerator of claim 13, wherein the location of the functionalcomponents allows for an increase in internal volume of the cavity. 18.The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the cabinet has a finish thatmatches the surrounding cabinetry.
 19. A built-in refrigeratorcomprising: a body having a cavity for food preservation; at least twoside panels; a top panel; at least one front panel; and a compartmentfixed to the bottom of the body and adapted to contain a compressor,condenser, and fan, wherein the side panels, top panel, and front panelhave a finish that matches surrounding cabinetry and are removablymounted to the body, thereby maintaining the original volume andstructural stiffness of the refrigerator.